A Joplin Woman's Story of Survival & Loss During May 22nd Tornado
By: Katie Love
Updated: May 9, 2012
Jeannie West has felt enough heartache for a lifetime.
"It still hurts a lot when I think about it or hear about it especially with the anniversary coming up," tornado survivor Jeannie West says.
She lost one of her daughters a few months before the tornado and on May 22nd, she lost her fiance.
"I think about him every day," West says. "I miss him. He was my best friend."
Along with loosing the love of her life, West was almost positive she was about to lose another daughter.
"It was the worst feeling," West says. "I don't think I could have picked myself back up."
Her daughter Shelby Davis was trapped under the rubble on 20th street in the Energy Conservation Building.
"I was 100% positive I was going to die in that tornado," Shelbi Davis says.
Davis could smell fuel and thought the debris would ignite with her under it.
With fading cell reception, she told her mother and father she loved them.
"I was really scared because death is scary," Davis says.
As she thought the end was near, Davis felt her sister's arms wrap around her.
"Sitting there under that desk, I felt her presence and having her there with me calmed me," Davis says.
Shelby says her mom is her hero, but it is clear they both think the world of each other.
Jeannie did have a bright spot recently. She was reunited with her dog that's been lost since the storm.
